JASPER — The Redevelopment Commission passed a recommendation to fund Phase 2 of the Courthouse Square renovation contract at its meeting Tuesday.
In Phase 2, Indianapolis firm Rundell Ernstberger Associates will develop a final design and construction documents for roughly $450,000. The Common Council must approve the funding at its meeting on April 19 before it can be funded. Improvements to the Courthouse Square are part of the city’s 2013 riverfront and downtown plan.
Officials estimated last year that the Courthouse Square project will cost between $4.3 and $5.9 million, with the high end being a complete revamp of the area. The project includes infrastructure work on the 80-year-old utility systems under the streets on the Square and repaving the streets, which has needed to be done since about 2011, Redevelopment Commission President John Bell said.
Roughly $2 million of funding will come from Senate Bill 67 and House Bill 1001, which both passed in the 2016 session. The senate bill released a portion of the local option income tax the state held back to local governments for infrastructure work. The house bill set up a three-year matching grant program for infrastructure projects. The council pledged $1 million of the $1,666,554 allocated to the city from Senate Bill 67 and was awarded a matching grant from House Bill 1001. To keep the grant funding, Bell said, the city must show progress on the project in 2017.
The remaining funding may come from a variety of sources including additional grants and/or economic development income tax funds. The city still hopes to convince county officials to contribute to the project. Newly elected County Councilman Craig Greulich serves on the citizen committee working with Rundell Ernstberger on designs for the project.
Redevelopment Commissioner Andy Seger supports the project. He pointed out that a big chunk of the work is on utilities infrastructure that will have to be replaced or repaired eventually anyway.
“I’ve thought this is a worthy project from the beginning, and I continue to think that,” he said.
Going forward, Bell said, communication with Jasper’s citizens and business owners on the square will continue to be key. He said officials have tried to be as open as possible throughout the process.
“We want to communicate and be open as much as we can,” he said. “It’s hard to reach 100 percent of the public.”
The Common Council will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19 in Jasper City Hall, 610 Main St. to discuss the funding the Redevelopment Commission approved.
